31 July 2013

Not everyone gets to view the world’s great artworks up-close, so Google Art Project—a collaboration between the tech giant and museums from 40 countries—is a great online resource that has made art much more accessible.

Part of Google Cultural Institute, the project consists of more than 40,000 high-resolution images of a huge range of artworks, from paintings to sculptures and even furniture—you would also be able to use Google Street View to explore the interiors of landmarks like the Palace of Versailles.

One of the best feature of the website is how some artworks have been uploaded in “gigapixel format”, which allows one to get a very closed-up look at them, something which may not be possible in a physical museum where artworks are usually protected by barriers and glass frames.

Design blog Twisted Sifter found a number of famous artworks by post-Impressionist artist Vincent van Gogh on the website and have zoomed in to view the amazing brush work on a selected few.

Scroll down for incredibly detailed close-ups of The Starry Night and more—or head over to Google Art Project for more stunning art.